Method and apparatus for sorting punched cards, tags and the like



Dec. 18, 1962 J. E. JOHNSTON ETAL 3,069,012

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING PUNCHED CARDS, TAGS AND THE LIKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 8, 1959 INVENTQRS JAMES E. JOHNSTON OSCAQ W. LU DSTIZOM BY I -"TOF2NEY5 I H 8 U Q lk b \Y M 2 a w M q in w 7 6 Dec. 18, 1962 Filed Sept. 8, 1959 J. E. JOHNSTON ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING PUNCHED CARDS, TAGS AND THE LIKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 w l 1l n 1 I I5 30 24 22. 65 4 Q 2 l'Y/y /0- 32 36 O 58 64 l E 28 o 54 $61 56 O M, lens [Ofi INVENTORS TQENE P1 JHMES E. JOHNSTON Dec. 18, 1962 J. E. JOHNSTON ETAL 3,059,012

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING PUNCHED CARDS, mes AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 8,

6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR-5 JQMES E. JOHNSTON OSCAR W. L DSTROM Ai-TORNEYS Dec. 18, 1962 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING PUNCHED Filed Sept. 8, 1959 J. E. JOHNSTON ET AL 3,069,012

CARDS, TAGS AND THE LIKE .1 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 20/7 2207 (224 1 SPECIAL g 1 2/7 I50 COMMON 2 O is 1 GATE so LENOI D5 l Ma Q |I4b INVENTOPS JAMES E. JOHNSTON BY OSCHR W. ND5TROM TTOPNEYS Dec. 18, 1962 J. E. JOHNSTON ETAL 3,069,012 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SOR'IING PUNCHED Filed Sept. 8, 1959 CARDS, TAGS AND THE LIKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VENTORS ATTORNEYS Dec. 18, 1962 J. E. JOHNSTON EI'AL 3,069,012

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING PUNCHED CARDS. TAGS AND THE: LIKE Filed Sept. 8, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 "Eva-T52 i 1; @[5

697E SOLENOID-5 INVENTOPS G RELAYS JAMES E. JOHNSTON "saws/T12; "sWITGT O CAR w. ND5TROM f". ff..:. a, 9 v

United States Patent 0 ice 3,069,612 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING PUNCHED CARDS, TAGS AND THE LIKE James E. Johnston and Oscar W. Lundstrom, Southbridge,

Mass., assiguors to American Optical Company, Southbridge, Mass., a voluntary association of Massachusetts Fiied Sept. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 838,772 6 Claims. (Cl. 2tl9--110) This invention relates to a method for sorting punched cards, tags and the like and to apparatus for rapidly and efliciently carrying out said method.

More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for accepting a stacked pile of rectangularly-shaped cards, such as punched and unpunched data or coded information cards, tags or the like in like bunched longitudinally extending positions but which are randomly stacked without regard as to the individual orientation of each card thereof (that is, without regard as to which side of each card or tag is upwardly or as to which end thereof is toward the right or toward the left of the pile), and for rapidly sorting and collecting these cards in four difierent bins or compartments in accordance with their respective orientations.

The invention further contemplates a method and apparatus for accepting such a pile of randomly stacked cards and the classifying or sorting and collecting of at least certain of said cards in two or more groups or classifications and also the sorting and collecting of the cards of a selected one of these groups in accordance with the orientations of the individual cards thereof. Accordingly,

the apparatus for carrying out the invention is so con structed and arranged that it will sort and collect the cards of diiferent classifications and different individual orientations in a rapid and eflicient manner.

The apparatus of the present invention is also so constructed and arranged that the cards of the particular classification which was previously separately collected without being sorted, as the other cards of a different classification were being separated, sorted according to their orientation, and separately collected, may thereafter be themselves sorted and separately collected in accordance with their individual orientations; thus enabling a person attending the machine by a few very simple acts to collect and similarly stack all of the cards or tags from the four different orientation bins in a single pile having all of the cards thereof orientated in like manner.

It is common practice, for example, particularly in certain types of industrial and commercial concerns employing large merchandise control and distribution systems, such as a large chain or department store, to attach a significantly perforated record or data punch card or tag to each individual item being placed in stock so that thereafter each item may be readily fully and individually identified, and when the item is sold or otherwise disposed of, the accompanying card or tag may be readily detached therefrom and forwarded to a central electronic data recording and processing department of the company. in this way, the company records, inventories, etc. may be efliciently and accurately kept up to date.

Obviously, when large collection of such perforated cards or tags are received from various locations and are bunched together in a stacked formation, they will not ordinarily have the same orientation in the stack. in fact, any individual card in such a stack may actually be in any one of four different positions; that is, some may face upwardly while others may be inverted. Also, some of the cards within each of these two groups may be reversed end-for-end relative to others therein. Of necessity, such perforated data cards have to be arranged in like positions in a stack in order to be processed in a conventional dataprocessing machine. Thus, all of the cards in such a stack 3,069,012 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 being placed in such a machine for processing should face upwardly and be properly oriented and when thousands of such cards or tags must be initially correctly stacked each day, the work of merely correctly positioning each of said cards becomes a tedious, boring and timeconsuming job.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus by which a plurality or stack of randomly oriented and suitably perforated rectangularly-shaped cards, tags or the like may be quickly processed in such a manner that all of the cards thereof may be rapidly oriented and arranged in identical positions in a stack for data-processing purposes or the like.

It is also an object of the invention to provide in apparatus of the character described means whereby randomly arranged cards or the like of two or more different classifications may be processed in such a way that the cards of one classification may be quickly sorted and collected according to their orientation, so that separate smaller stacks of oriented cards may be quickly placed in identical positional relation or orientation in a common stack and simultaneously therewith cards of a different classification may be separated therefrom for differen processing or treatment at a subsequent time.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide in apparatus of the character described control means whereby the randomly arranged group of cards so separated from the cards of the group being sorted and oriented may be thereafter quickly and easily similarly oriented by the same machine.

It is an object of the invention to provide in a device of the character described means for momentarily sensing the positions of a plurality of controlled perforations or holes in each successive data card or tag and means for actuating any one of a plurality of gates associated with separate storage compartments or bins of the apparatus in accordance with the signal received from said sensing means without in any way being effected by the large number of small data perforations also located in each card or tag. i

It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus of the character described which is cfiicient and rapid in its operation, compact and inexpensive to manufacture and operate, and which apparatus will require a minimum of attention and servicing during extended use thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows when taken in combination with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective side front view of a sorting machine or device embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1 but with upper parts thereof removed to better show details of construction;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are fragmentary side elevational views of one end portion of the device of FIG. 1, as viewed from opposite sides thereof and with certain parts broken away or removed to better show details of card-positioning, sensing and conveying mechanisms therein;

FIG. 5 is a perspective vieW of a part of said cardconveying mechanism;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of sensing means and associated structure of the device;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a cardcollecting bin or compartment and associate contnol gate and gate operating means therefor;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are views of two different forms of perforated cards, tickets or tags which may be used in the device;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a part of the driving and control mechanism for the device;

FIG. 11 is an electrical system for use with the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic showing of part of the electronic sensing and control circuitry for an individual gate of the device;

FIG. 13 shows a connecting panel for the gate control circuits of the device;

FIGS. 14A, 14B, 14C, and 14D are views of a perforated tag in the four 'diiferent possible positions which it may assume at the sensing station of the device; and

FIG. 15 is a chat showing a timing cycle of operation of the device.

Referring to the drawings in detail and in particular FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that an elongated main housing is shown at 16 and comprises front, back and end panels a, 10b, 19c and 10d. As is clear from these figures, a plurality of aligned card-collecting bins or compartments 11a, 11b, 11c, Ed, 112, and 11 are provided therein. Also, the top of the housing is closed partly by a panel 1'2 and partly by a hood-like panel 13. The panel 12, as better shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, is arranged to support an upwardly extending channel-shaped receptacle or storage bin 14 for accommodating a pile or stack of rectangularly-shaped cards or tags of generally similar type which are to be sorted and variously collected in selected ones of such compartments. While six are shown, a greater number might at times be employed to advantage as will later appear. The collecting compartments or bins are closed by a transparent door 17 which is hinged to form a front wall part 18 of the housing it A weight 20 loosely resting upon the top of the pile of cards, serves to hold these cards flat so that each successive card at the bottom of the pile may be pushed laterally out of the storage receptacle 14 by a fiat blade-like pusher or picker 22 arranged to slide horizontally in spaced guide channels 24 supported by panel 12. The pusher 22 is actuated by a short pin 26 extending upwardly from a slide block 28 and through a slot 3i) in panel 12 and into engagement with said pusher; this block 28, in turn, being arranged to slide back and forth upon a pair of fixed guide rods 32. A lever 34 for reciprocating the block 28 is connected at its upper end to the block by a tie rod 36 and lever 34 has its opposite end pivotally supported by fixed pivot means 38 upon a side of a vertically disposed main supporting blade iii within the housing 1% and er;- tending upwardly from a base plate 41 thereof. If desired, the support means for the fixed guide rods 32 may also be attached to plate 49'.

A push rod 42 is pivotally connected at one end to an intermediate part of lever 34 and at its other end to a I crank pin 44 carried on an enlarged disk-like end portion 46 of a drive shaft 48 which, in turn, is rot-atably mounted in suitable bearing means in the main supporting plate 40. Thus, the arrangement is such that the pusher 22, during rotation of shaft .8 in the direction indicated by arrow 49, will remove one card or tag at a time from the bottom of the stonage bin 14 and push same forwardly into a sensing position at a sensing station S (see FIG. 6) each time the disk portion 46 makes one complete revolution.

Also carried by the disk-like portion 46 is an annular collar 50 having a peripheral camming surface Stla thereon and this collar may be circumferentially adjusted limited amounts relative to the disk-like portion 46 in order to move the surface 50a into an exact angular relation with reference to the crank pin 44 before slot and bolt connections 52 thereon are tightened to secure the collar against movement relative to the disk-like portion i6. The camming surface 56a is so disposed upon the member 46 as to urge a push rod 54, slidably mounted in guide means 56 secured to vertical plate 49, outwardly rat the proper time during each cycle of operation of the disk-like portion 4-6. The outer end of rod 54 is arranged, in turn, to engage a downwardly extending arm 58a of a bell crank lever 58, also piv-otally supported upon vertical panel 4% so as to cause an opposite arm 58b thereof (see FIG. 6) upwardly in opposition to the pressure of a coil spring (:9 when actuated by cam surface 58a.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the arm portion 53b of lever 53 is provided with a transversely extending bearing portion 58b which carries a short rotatable shaft 62 upon one end of which is fixedly secured a card transfer roller and upon the opposite end of which is secured a small drive pulley 66. A notch is provided in the upper edge of plate 4% as indicated at and this arrangement allows pulley 66 to be disposed at the opposite side of plate 40 and the bearing portion 53b to have freedom for up-anddown movement during operation of the mechanism. Directly above the transfer roller 64 is disposed an idler as and these two rotatable members together serve as positive means for gripping a card 6'7 as shown in FIG. 6 at the sensing station S and for moving the card forwardly toward a guideway or raceway 69 when driven roller 6-!- is elevated.

Pulley 66 (see FIGS. 4 and 10) is operatively connected by means of flexible belts 68 to a large driving pulley 73 secured upon the shaft 48 but at the side of the vertical plate 43 opposite to that occupied by the disk-like portion 46. Belts 68 may be provided with suitable belt-tightening means, such as indicated at '72. Upon the side of driving pulley 7b are adjustably 5C1 cured, as best shown in Fit 10 by means of slot and bolt connections 7i, two large cam-carrying disks 74 and 76 (only the first of which shows a cam portion 74a) and two precision snap-action switches 74/; and 76]; upon support bracket 4i2-c are shown in positions so as to be actuated thereby. One of these cams thus operates the sensing switch 74b and the other the clear switch 76b, the purposes of which will be presently described.

Drive shaft is operatively connected to an electrically operated magnetic clutch supported by a bracket 81 secured to the base plate 41 and the powerinput shaft of this magnetic clutch is, in turn, connected through a conventional reduction gearing 32 to one end of the main drive shaft of an electric motor 84.

The main drive shaft of said motor 84 at its opposite end is connected (see FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) by belt and pulley drive means 88 to a common power transmission shaft 9% which, in turn, is belt and pulley connected in similar manner as at 92 to each of an aligned series of transfer shafts 94 each of which carries a card transfer roller 95 at its free forward end. Each transfer shaft 94 is rotatably supported at its rear end by hearing means 96 which is, in turn, secured to a spring arm 97 extending outwardly from a common supporting spring plate 98 in such a manner that the transfer roller 95 at the forward end of each transfer shaft will resiliently press downwardly lightly upon anti-friction rollers 99 therebcneath. Spring plate 93, as is clear from FIG. 5, is supported by a rigid bar 93A secured by brackets 983 to a second vertically disposed supporting plate 100 generally aligned with plate 49.

The transfer shafts 94 are disposed in parallel relation to each other with the first of these shafts and its roller 95 being spaced from the vertically movable transfer roller 64 a distance somewhat less than the length of an individual data card. Also each successive transfer shaft 94 and its roller 95 are likewise spaced from each other a distance somewhat less than the length of the data card; with the result that at all times from the time a card at the sensing station 5 is gripped between the transfer roller 64 and idler 65 until the card enters its proper collection bin, this card will be positively controlled by one and sometimes by two different pairs of drive rollers and the respective anti-friction rollers 99 therebeneath.

Each of the collecting bins Ila-11f is provided with a control gate fill and, as is clearly shown in FIG. 7, each gate closes approximately one-half of the upper end of its associated bin or compartment. The other half, on

the other hand, is closed by a stationary member 162 horizontally aligned there-with. Thus, together, all of the gates 101 and stationary members 102 aligned the-rewith form a continuous floor between side wall members 104 and 106 and constitute the guideway or raceway 69 already referred to along which the individual cards rapidly travel. Side member 106, as shown in FIG. 5, is secured to one side of main supporting plate 100.

Each gate 101 (see FIG. 7) is carried by and arranged to pivot with a transversely disposed control rod 108 journalled in side wall member 166 and each rod has secured upon its opposite rear end an abutment member 112 against which a control arm 113 of a solenoid generally indicated by numeral 114 presses when energized. As shown in the drawing, each solenoid is carried by a mounting plate 114 which is, in turn, bolted to vertical plate 100. The result of this arrangement is that gate 101 will be rapidly moved to its raised position shown for the first gate in FIG. 3, each time its solenoid is energized. Upon the bottom of each gate is formed one or more elongated downwardly sloping ribs 116 which serve to direct the leading edge of each card as it reaches its respective collection bin downwardly into the bin.

One reason for using six collecting bins or compartments in a preferred embodiment of the machine is so that four different bins can be made available for all cards of a group of cards which are to be sorted into four different groups in accordance with their four different possible orientations in stack 15, as well as to provide a bin for cards perforated to indicate a group of cards of a different classification and which may be more conveniently dealt with and sorted for individual card orientation at some subsequent time separately, and also a bin for cards which, for various reasons, such as improper perforations or no perforations, should not enter the bins of either of the two above-mentioned groups.

While six gates have been provided for the six bins in the present showing, only the first five are provided with power solenoids individually identified as 114a, 114b, 114a, 114d and 11% for opening and closing purposes, the sixth gate merely being arranged to remain in an open position so that its sloping ribs 116 will function to properly guide tags into the bin. It is also interesting to here note that certain of the anti-friction rollers 99 beneath the rollers 95 are mounted upon the gate control rods 1438 and within recesses 191;: (see FIG. 5) provided in the gates while other of the anti-friction rollers 9 are mounted in recesses 102a in the stationary members 1G2. and rotate on stationary rods 102b carried thereby.

As stated previously, the sorting machine of the present invention is arranged to sort a stack of randomly mixed cards in accordance with their individual orientations by the use of a suitably located perforation in each card and to collect these cards in four different bins, and additionally, if desired, to simultaneously sort cards of another group or groups, when also present in said stack, by the use of suitable perforations in the cards of each group which distinguish them from the cards of other groups, and to collect the cards of each of these additional groups in additional bins provided therefor.

Of necessity, the cards of the first-mentioned group to be sorted in accordance with their individual orientations will be provided with at least one perforation, which perforation is purposely spaced from both the longitudinal and the transverse geometric center lines of the cards, so as to have a different quadrant location for each of the four different possible positions, this card can assume at the sensing station S.

As shown in FIG. 8, the card 67, which incidentally is one of a class or group of cards arranged for conveying data or coded information by the use of many exactly located small perforations 118 therein, is provided with a large opening 120 uniquely located on the card at a 6 spaced location with reference to both the longitudinal center line (or axis) X-X and the transverse center line (or axis) Y-Y of the card, so that this large hole may be used in the case of each card of the group to determine the four different possible orientations which such a card can assume in the stack 15 to be sorted.

For example, we may consider that orientation hole 120, as shown, in effect, lies in the fourth quadrant in FIG. 8. However, it is clear that if this card were reversed end-for-end, hole would then appear in the third quadrant. On the other hand, if the card shown in FIG. 8 were, in efiect, turned upside down, hole 120 would then appear in the first quadrant, and if it were then reversed end-for-end, hole 120 would appear in the second quadrant. (Of course, it should be appreciated from the above that the off-axis positioning of the orientation hole is essential, for if the hole were located on either axis of the card, no more than two diiferent conditions of orientation could be detected.)

A data card or ticket of the type shown in FIG. 8 would ordinarily be intended for use in a data-processing system and, accordingly, to insure exact positioning of the small perforations 118 therein, a pair of longitudinally aligned holes in the ticket is desirable. Thus, a large hole 121 longitudinally aligned with orientation hole 12% but differently spaced from the Y-Y axis may be provided. Or, if desired, near the opposite edge, a pair of alignment holes 122 and 123 at a different spacing from the YY axis than hole 120 may be provided.

To sense the orientation of card 67 in any one of its four possible positions at the sensing station S, there is provided, as shown in FIG. 6, a removable inverted channel-shaped hood or cover 124 having secured thereto and within its hollow interior a plurality of spaced resilient conductive fingers or brushes collectively indicated by the numeral 125. Actually, in the present disclosure, eight such fingers or brushes are used and each is arranged to contact conductive supporting plate 12 beneath the card at the sensing station S through any large aligned opening when located therebeneath. The large holes 120-123 are of such size with reference to the small perforation 118 that the conductive fingers will not extend through any smaller perforation and contact plate 12 if same should pass therebeneath.

If reference is now made to FIG. 12, it will be seen that the eight conductive fingers or brushes 125 of FIG. 6, as used here, have been individually indicated A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H and of these fingers, E, F, G and H will be used for sensing the specific quadrant positions of the orientation hole 120 in each successive ticket 67 in the' four different possible positions of orientation thereof at station S.

In FIG. 9 is shown a tag or ticket 67a, like the tag in FIG. 8, with the exception that one of the differently spaced large holes (121, 122, or 123) has been omitted from this tag. In the particular case shown, hole 123 has been omitted. Accordingly, ticket 67a may thus be differently identified as being a ticket of a different general classification or group from the group into which ticket 67 falls.

By arranging the other four brushes or fingers A, B, C and D of the plurality of fingers to monitor the presonce or absence of hole 123 at all four possible positions thereof at station S, it is possible to open gate 101 for the first bin 11a each time that such a tag is detected and direct all such tags into the first bin. Of course, all other tags of the stack will pass therebeyond and thus may be directed into some other bin. (Of course, if preferred, a converse condition could be arranged as readily, that is, wherein tags with the hole 123 are caused to fall into the first bin and ones without such hole allowed to pass therebeyond.

In like manner, triode 132 has its grid connected to conducting finger A and functions to control another solenoid 134s of a similar relay 134.

In FIG. 4 is shown a rotatable thumb Wheel 1139 which is supported by a swingable link 141 pivotally connected near its upper end to vertical plate 4% and having an edge portion thereof projecting through a hole in the end panel lhc of the housing so that it may be pressed inwardly against the action of a spring 141a and into engagement with drive pulley 70. In this way, when desired, the shaft 48 may be rotated manually to move parts mechanically associated therewith.

In FIG.- 12, there is shown a triode controlled relay circuit connected to conducting spring finger or brush A, and a second similar triode controlled relay circuit is connected to spring finger B. In like manner, six additional similar triode controlled relay circuits are provided for the spring fingers C, D, E, F, G and H, respectively, but have not been shown here since a disclosure and description of the operation of one of these triode controlled relay circuits will provide an understanding of the operation of all eight.

Conducting finger B, as shown in FIG. 12, is connected directly to the control grid of triode 128. However, since the plate circuit of this triode contains the solenoid 130s of a control relay 130 (a triple pole, double throw relay), and this triode is normally conducting when its grid is not negatively biased, the current in the plate circuit at such times will energize this solenoid and attract the relay arm 13th: from its normal spring urged outer position (the position indicated in FIG. 12) to an inner position. However, should a negative bias be momentarily supplied to the grid of this triode by conducting finger or brush B contacting plate 12, as through one of the end holes 121, 122 or 123 in a tag 67 when upon the plate 12 at station S in FIG. 6 and by the closing of sensing switch 7417 by cam 74a (see also FIG. 10), since this would connect plate 12 to an intermediate point 740 on a relatively high resistance voltage divider (R R this negative grid bias will render triode 128 nonconductive. When this occurs, solenoid 130s will be deenergizcd and relay arm 13% will be allowed to spring back to its normal outer position.

Even though normally open switch 741) will be held closed by cam 74:: for only a short interval during each revolution of drive shaft 43, relay arm 1300 will thereafter remain in its outer position as long as reset switch 76b remains closed. This is due to the fact that a circuit for maintaining a negative bias on triode 128 is established at this time by the outward movement of relay arm 136a. This circuit extends from the grid of triode 128 through closed relay contact points 136b, conductor 130e, conductor id and normally closed reset switch 76b to the intermediate point 74c on the voltage divider. This is the operative condition which exists in the structure as shown in PEG. 12, and the negative grid bias which exists at this time at triode 128 will be maintained and will block the plate current of this tube until normally closed reset switch 76b is momentarily cammed open by cam 76a on motor-operated cam disk 76 to clear the control relay 138 of this holding. Simultaneously, with this clearing action, the tag at sensing station S will be moved forward so that the next tag from stack may be moved into the sensing station.

Accordingly, when reset switch 76b is opened momentarily, the negative bias to the grid will be interrupted, triode 128 will again conduct and the solenoid will be energized and will attract arm 130a to its inner position. Of course, the arm 130a will then remain in this position until finger B again contacts plate 12 through a hole in the new tag which has in the mean time been moved by pusher 22 into position at the sensing station S and switch 74b is again cammed closed.

The purposes of switch 150, in the arrangement disclosed herein, are, firstly, to allow the machine when the switch is in one position to ditierentiate between the cards of two different general groups of cards within a single randomly stacked pile or deck of cards 15 and to not only separate these cards into two groups but at the same time to sort out all of the cards of one of these groups according to their individual orientations and, secondly, when the switch 158 is in another position to allow the machine to sort all of the cards of such a single pile or deck 15 according to the individual orientations of the cards thereof, but without regard as to any particular group classification. The first is accomplished when switch 156 is in its common sort position and the second accomplished when the switch is in its special sort position. Thus, the machine may even be used after the first-mentioned combined type of group sorting to sort cards according to their individual orientation even though those cards were not so sorted according to orientation during their first passage through the machine.

In FIG. 13 is shown a connection panel 140 having an appreciable number of connecting posts thereon and arranged in a number of spaced groups. This panel serves as a convenient means by which the leads from several of the diiferent electrical parts of the machine may be interconnected. For instance, on the left-hand side of panel 149 will be seen eight similar groups of connecting posts, with each of these groups comprising six posts each. Note that the upper two connecting posts of the first group constitute a pair and are marked A and A and that the lower two form a second pair and are marked K and E The two center posts are unlettered. In like manner, the other seven similar groups are similarly marked, except that for each group a different letter (B, C, D, E, F, G, or H) has been substituted for A. Other connecting posts also appear on this panel but will be identified later.

In FIG. 12 only a fractional part of panel 140 has been shown but this part includes two of the eight similar groups of connecting posts. While in FIG. 13, in order to avoid confusion, only the connecting wires which are soldered or otherwise secured to the connecting posts at the front side of the panel have been shown, in FIG. 12, on the other hand, these wires as well as six leads from the upper six switch contacts of control relays and 134 associated therewith have been shown extending to the said posts at the rear side of panel and with the leads of each group connected in like arrangement thereto.

In this way, an orderly array of connecting posts for forty-eight of the switch contacts of the eight control relays associated with brushes A-H is made conveniently available for interconnection purposes: notwithstanding the fact that only half of these posts (as shown in FIG. 13) are in use, that is, actually have wires connected to the forward ends thereof. Also, in order to be able to readily identify the individual connecting posts for each relay, each group on panel 140 has reference markings including the letter of the brush or spring fingers A, B, C, D, E, F, G, or H associated therewith. For example, the reference markings for the posts connected to relay 134, which, inturn, responds to the plate current of triode 132 in accordance with signals received from brush A will have the letter A therein. In like manner, the group of posts for brush B would be indicated by reference markings containing the letter B.

Considering the markings for each group of six posts on panel 146, as for instance the posts associated with brush A, it Will be seen that the outer pair of posts are marked A and A while the inner pair are similarly marked but additionally have short lines thereabove, and thus appear as K and K Also note that the middle unreferenced pair of posts are respectively connected to the movable contacts or movable poles of relay 134. Thus, these movable contacts, when in their outer positions, as shown in FIG. 12, will be connected to posts A and A and when in their inner positions will be connected to posts K and K Accordingly, it will be appreciated that during ordinary operation of the machine and with the cards or tags being moved one after another into the sensing station S and if, at this time, no brush senses a hole in a card (that is, it no brush contacts the plate 12) all triodes will conduct and all relays will be energized. This means that all relay arms will be attracted by their respective solenoids and all of the connecting posts associated therewith and which have letters with short lines thereabove will be rendered conducting.

Subsequently, when a hole in a tag is sensed by one of the brushes the grid connected thereto will be negatively biased and this will block the passage of the plate current in the triode associated therewith. Accordingly, the relay arm controlled by the plate current will spring back to its outer or unattracted position and this action will render the opposite connecting posts which have letters without short lines thereabove conducting.

Also positioned on panel 140 in FIG. 13 below the word gate is a group of five pairs of connection posts and to the right of this group is a smaller group of six posts for convenience in making connections to the power leads marked L and L Each pair of posts in the gate group is marked with a number from 1 to 5 in order to conveniently identify the particular gate solenoid connected thereto. The first pair of posts, it will be appreciated, is connected at the back of the panel through a first pair of wires in a cable 143 to gate solenoid 114a. Likewise, the second pair of posts are connected through a second pair of wires to gate solenoid 11412, and a similar arrangement is efiected for each of the other three gate solenoids 1146, 114d, and 11412. As is clear from FIG. 13, at the front of the panel 141) one post of each of these five pairs of posts is connected to a post for one of the control relays and the other post of each pair is connected to the power lead L It is believed, accordingly, that the connection panel arrangement for the operation of the gate solenoids 114a- 114e can best be appreciated by first considering the sensing conditions encountered by the machine when selector switch 150 is in its lower or common sorting position. At that time, the first gate or gate 101 will be opened by the energizing of solenoid 114a if the circuitry from power lead L through switch 150, the control relays, solenoid 114a and back to power lead L provides the following conducting combination A B fi lj or, stated difiierently, if brushes A and B contact plate 12 but brushes C and D do not.

When this combination exists control relays 130 and 134 will be de-energ-ized and their movable contacts will move out to the positions shown in FIG. 12 but the movable contacts for the control relays (not shown) for brushes C and D will remain in their inner posit-ions since these relays will not be de-energized.

The circuit for energizing gate solenoid 114a under these conditions may be traced in FIGS. 12 and 13 as follows: from power lead L through closed switch 150, lead 201 to the center posts of group A, through the relay contacts (via leads 202 and 203) to post A lead 264 to the left center post for group B, through the relay contacts (via leads 205 and 206) to post B lead 207 to left center post for group C, through the relay contacts to post 5 lead 208, to left center post of group 1), through the relay contacts to post 5 lead 209, through gate solenoid 114a and lead 210 to power lead L Also gate No. 1 will open if the conducting circuit combination KgFzCzDg is satisfied; or, stated differently, if fingers A and B do not contact plate 12 but fingers C and D do.

When this last-mentioned combination exists control relays for brushes A and B will remain energized while control relays for brushes C and D will be de-energized and consequently their movable contacts will move to their outer positions. At this time a circuit for operating gate 1111 may be traced from power lead L through closed switch 150, lead 201, to the center posts of group A, through the closed contacts on relay 134 (via leads 211 and 212) to post K through lead 213 to the right center post for group B, through the closed contacts of relay (via leads 214 and 2.15) to post F lead 216 to the right center post of group C, through closed relay contacts to post C through lead 217 to the right center post of group D, through the relay contacts to post D through lead 218 to post D and then through lead 289, solenoid 114a and lead 210 to power lead L Thus, the ticket 67 (FIG. 8) when at the sensing station S will not in any one of its four possible positions open gate No. 1 because of the presence of hole 123 but will travel beyond gate No. 1. On the other hand, ticket 67a (FIG. 9) from which hole 123 has been omitted will open gate No. l and will be collected in bin 11a. This is because in two possible orientations of ticket 67a fingers A and B will conduct while fingers C and D will not, and also in the other two possible orientations thereof fingers C and D will conduct while fingers A and B will not.

Additionally, if the circuitry for gate No. 2 is considered next, it will be seen that the following conducting circuit combination Big 11 will open this gate; or, stated differently, gate No. 2 will be opened when finger E contacts plate 12 and fingers F, G, and H do not. The circuit for opening gate No. 2 can be traced from L through lead 219 to the right center post for group E, through the closed relay contacts to post E lead 220 and solenoid 11 4b and lead 221 to power lead L In a similar manner, gate No. 3 will be opened when the conducting circuit combination E F H occurs, gate No. 4 will open when the conducting circuit combination E F G E occurs, and gate No. 5 will open when conducting circuit combination E F G J-I occurs; and leads 223, 224 and 225 help complete these circuits. (Gate No. 6 is open at all times and thus needs no gate solenoid.)

Through the use of the relatively high resistance voltage divider (R R which is in the neighborhood of 2 to 3 megohms, for the grid bias of the tubes, it is possible to tolerate a considerable amount of contact resistance due to dust or lint in tag holes at each spring finger contacting plate 12 without having this resistance affect the ordinary sensing operations of the fingers. In fact, tests have shown that a contact resistance up to approximately one megohm may be tolerated.

In FIG. 13 is shown a connection panel for use in easily interconnecting leads from the switch contacts of the eight triple pole, double throw control relays 138, 134 etc. to the power line L L to the gate control solenoids r114a-114e and to a selector or classification switch which, for convenience, has been here indicated as a single pole switch but, actually, would be a double pole switch (see FIG. 11) and located upon the sloping front 13a (see FIG. 1) of the hood-like part 1312 of the closure panel 13 for the housing 10. Part 130 is a window.

Now if the connection panel arrangement is considered with the selector switch 1513 moved to its special or open circuit position, it will be readily seen that no sensing will be done by fingers A, B, C and D at this time although fingers E, F, G and H will sense in their normal way. Thus, it is possible to send a mixture of special tags and common tags through the machine while the switch is in its common position and have all of the special tags collect in the first bin and all of the common tags travel beyond the first bin before being intercepted by an opened gate No. 2, 3, 4 or 5. if no suitable signal is given when a tag is at the sensing station S, no gate will open and, therefore, this tag will merely travel all the way down the guideway 69 and enter constantly open bin No. 6.

In FIGS. I la-14d an array of only three holes on one tag 152 is shown, but the four different possible positions of large orientation hole 152a in this tag at the sensing station S can be immediately appreciated therefrom. It can, of course, function with hole 152!) for alignment purposes in other processing machines and a third large hole 152c can be used to indicate a certain class of tags relative to a similar tag but from which such a hole has been omitted to indicate a different classification.

in PEG. 15, a timing cycle of operation of the machine has been indicated by a chart with the forward stroke of the pusher or picker 22 being indicated for the full first half cycle (l25 milliseconds) of the machine and its reverse travel is indicated during the full second half cycle thereof. It will be appreciated from this chart that each separate tag comes to a complete standstill at the sensing station S and almost immediately the sensing switch 74!] is cammed closed for a period of approximately milliseconds. Shortly thereafter, the gate control relays 139, 134 etc. for the fingers or feelers which are then in contact with the plate 126 are operated and they remain in this condition for the greater part of the complete operating cycle of the machine.

The proper gate solenoid 114 associated with the relay which has been made operative, shortly thereafter operates as shown by the chart to open its associated gate; and this gate remains open for the greater part of a full operating cycle. After the gate has opened, the ejector roller 64 moves up to grip the sensed tag and ejects it out of the sensing station, and into the guideway 69 for travel to its selected bin. The ejection operation is only of approximately to 70 milliseconds duration and, accordingly, the sensing station is then ready to receive its next tag for sensing. Somewhat before the end of the forward stroke of the pusher 22, the reset or clear switch 76 is actuated and this clears all of the triodes from the grid bias controls, as previously described.

The main control circuit for the machine is shown in FIG. 11 and comprises a main on-off switch 154 (see also FIG. 2) controlling a conventional 117 volt AC. supply. The electronic control system for the control relays and for the gate solenoids (shown in detail in *lGS. l2 and 13) as a whole is generally indicated by numeral 156 and is connected directly across the supply line L 1 extending from the main switch so as to render the triodes 128, 132 etc. operative when the main switch is turned on. A main step-down transformer 158 is also connected directly across the supply lines so as to be immediately energized and it has its secondary arranged to supply a low voltage alternating current to secondary supply lines indicated at L L A pilot light 161 on panel 13a (FIG. 1) and marked on and connected across the secondary thus will light as soon as the power is turned on.

Motor 84 (see FIGS. 2 and 1 1) is likewise indicated across the main line L L except that it is controlled by normally open relay contacts K 8 in series therewith and these contacts are controlled by a holding relay K Thus, motor 84 will not start to operate until relay K is energized. The coil of relay K however, is in a series circuit which is connected across line L L and this series circuit also includes a normally open push button start switch 16% (see FIG. 1), the relay contacts K A and a normally closed button stop switch 162 (see also FIG. .1). Thus, a pilot lamp 163 connected across coil K and marked run will light when is pressed and the motor will start to operate.

However, when the main switch 154 is first turned on and before the start switch 169 is pressed, a pilot lamp 165 marked idle will also light to indicate if the machine is ready for operation. This lamp 165 is in a standby series circuit which is connected across the lines L 1 and includes relay contacts K A, the relay contacts K A and the normally closed stop switch 162 already mentioned.

lf the start switch 16% is at this time pressed, the coil of relay K will be energized and will close relay contacts K 8 to energize motor 84. At the same time the closing of relay contacts K 13 will energize a full wave rectifier 164 and this will, in turn, supply rectified DC. current to the magnetic clutch 86 (see also FIG. 10) and to a control rheostat 166 in series therewith. The purpose for this clutch and rheostat is so that a slip may occur in the clutch if and only if too much of a drag in the mechanism, such as in the case of jamming of more than one tag occurs at the sensing station at one time. Energized relay coil K will also move relay contacts K C to their closed position and this Will cause the contacts to establish a holding circuit 167 through relay contacts K A and stop switch 162 and thus around start switch 160; and this action will simultaneously open contacts K A and interrupt the standby circuit. Of course, at this time, light 165 will go out.

A normally closed cam-operated snap action parking switch is indicated at 76c in FIG. ll and although not shown in FIG. 10, this switch is arranged so as to be operated by the camming disk 76 on main drive shaft 43. This switch 760 normally connects point 173 in the holding circuit 167 to the conductor L so that even though the stop switch 162 is depressed to stop the motor 8-4, the motor will continue to run until cam 7 62 opens switch 760. Thus, the mechanical parts of the device will stop in a convenient position.

The low voltage line L L is connected, in turn, to a step-up transformer 175 which has its secondary arranged in a series circuit with a rectifier 177, a resistance 178, a relay coil K and normally open relay contacts K B. A plurality of spring biased switches of known types including a supply bin switch 179 and collecting bin switches ISM-18W are connected in parallel with relay contacts K B. Since relay contacts K B are normally open and the switch 179 arranged in the bottom of supply bin 14 (but not shown in FIG. 3) is arranged to be held open by tags in the supply 14 and will remain open as long as any tag remains in this bin, and since switches 180a-180f arranged in the bottoms of the collection bins Ila-11f respectively are normally open and will remain open until a sizeable stack of tags in any bin presses its spring balanced supporting platform 181 downwardly sufiiciently to contact one of the last-mentioned switches, the relay K will not be energized. Therefore, relay contacts K 13 and K C will remain in their normally open positions.

If, however, any collecting bin becomes filled with tags, or if the supply bin 14 becomes empty, one of these switches 179 or 180a180 will close and this will energize relay coil K and when this happens, contacts K B will close and maintain the DC. current in the secondary circuit from transformer 175. The energizing of relay coil K will also open contacts K A and close relay contacts K C and thereby energize relay coil K by connecting it through stop switch 162 to supply line L The energizing of coil K in turn, will open contacts K A and close contacts K B and this will maintain coil K energized. The purpose of this arrangement is to maintain pilot lamp 182 (marked Service and connected across coil K lighted to indicate that supply is empty or a bin collecting bin is full and service is needed.

The opening of contacts K A interrupts the power through relay coil K and through contacts K C and this de-energizes motor 84 and magnetic clutch 80 by allowing contacts K B to open. Thereafter, the circuit through relay coil K may be interrupted by pressing stop switch 162 which allows contacts K B to open. The switch 150, as shown in FIG. 11, actually has a second arm 150a arranged to move therewith and together these switch arms are arranged to indicate by means of pilot lamps 184 and 183 respectively the common and the special sorting conditions of the machine.

While large holes have been-shown in the tags or tickets to be sorted, it will be clear that notches or the like in edge portions of the tickets and arranged in different quadrants could as readily be used for sensing purposes. Also, it should be appreciated that at various places in the specification and claims, the words card, or tag or ticket have been used to indicate the pieces of stacked axis notch in an edge portion of such a tag or even the presence or absence of a predetermined small corner portion of such a tag could as readily be used for like orientation indicating and sorting purposes in the machine. For this reason, in the claims which follow, the word void has been used to generically indicate any one of such cutout or cut-oft" off-axis portions of the card intended for orientation purposes.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. The method of preparing and sorting a plurality of generally similar rectangularly-shaped data cards comprising providing in each of said cards a similarly arranged orientation void disposed at a location therein which is offset with reference to both the central longitudinal and central transverse axes of said card, bunching said cards together in a randomly stacked formation with all of the longitudinal axes thereof extending in the same direction, but without regard as to the random orientation of the individual cards of said stack, removing one card after another from said stack and sensing the relative location of the orientation void therein to determine in which one of the four different possible quadrants on the card the void is disposed, and directing each successive sensed card along a path and to a pro-selected one of four different piles corresponding to the four different sensed quadrant locations in said cards, whereby all of the cards collected in each collecting pile will be similarly oriented, and thereafter placing the collected cards from each of said four piles in a single stack in such a manner that all will face in the same direction and will be similarly oriented.

2. The method of preparing and sorting a plurality of generally similar rectangularly-shaped data cards comprising providing certain of said cards with a classification void to distinguish them from others of said cards and thereby produce two different predetermined groups of cards, providing each of the cards of each of said groups with similarly arranged orientation voids therein in an off-axis location with reference to both the longitudinal and transverse geometric center lines of the card, bunching said cards together in a randomly stacked formation with all of their respective longitudinal axes extending in the same direction, but without regard as to the random orientation of the individual cards of said formation, removing one card after another from said stack and sensing the presence or absence of a classification void in each card and also sensing if an orientation void is present therein and in which of the four different possible quadrants on the card the orientation void is located, directing each card having a classification void therein along a path to a first predetermined collection pile, and directing each of the remaining cards which has an orientation void therein along said path and beyond said first bin to a predetermined one of four different piles in correspondence with the sensed quadrant location on said card, whereby all of the cards of said two different predetermined classification groups will be separatcd from each other and all of the cards of one of said groups will be at the same time separately collected in four different orientation piles and with the individual cards in each pile being similarly oriented, and thereafter placing all of the oriented cards from the four piles in a single stack in such a manner that all will face in the same direction and will be similarly oriented.

3. A card-sorting machine comprising a receptacle for supporting a plurality of generally similar rectangularlyshaped cards in a randomly stacked condition therein without regard as to the orientation of the individual cards of said stack but with the longitudinal axes of all of the cards extending in the same general direction, most of the cards in said stack each having an orientation void formed at a predetermined location therein spaced from both the longitudinal and transverse axes thereof, means for moving one card at a time from said receptacle to a sensing station in said machine, a plurality of bins including a set of four bins in aligned relation so as to respectively receive the differently oriented cards when sorted according to the location of the orientation void therein by the machine, means for successively moving and guiding each of said cards from said station toward said bins, a plurality of normally closed gates for closing each of the orientation bins, a solenoid for forcefully actuating each of said gates respectively to an open position, a plurality of sensing fingers at said station including a set of four predeterminedly located fingers for conductively sensing the presence or absence of an off-axis orientation void in any one of said cards and for indicating in which of the four possible quadrant locations on the card at said sensing station the orientation void is located, and electrical means for connecting said sensing fingers to said gate solenoids, said electrical means including a relay for controlling the supply of electrical power to each solenoid and an electronic valve for controlling each relay, and each valve having a control element connected to one of the sensingfingers in such a manner as to provide a negative bias to said electronic valve each time a finger senses a void at said sensing station, whereby all of said cards in said stack which have orientation voids therein will be sorted and collected according to their orientationvoids in the respective orientation bins.

4. A card-sorting machine comprising a receptacle for supporting a plurality of. generally similar rectangularlyshaped cards in a randomly stacked condition therein without regard as to the orientation of the individual cards of said stack but with the longitudinal axes of all of the cards extending in the same general direction, most of the cards in said stack each having an orientation void formed at a predetermined location therein spaced from both the longitudinal and transverse axes thereof, means for moving one card at a time from said receptacle to a sensing station in said machine, a plurality of bins including a set of four bins in aligned relation so as to respectively receive the differently oriented cards when sorted according to the location of the orientation void therein by the machine, means for successively moving and guiding each of said cards from said station toward said bins, a plurality of normally closed gates for closing each of the orientation bins, a solenoid for forcefully actuating each of said gates respectively to an open position, a plurality of sensing fingers at said station including a set of four predeterminedly located fingers for conductively sensing the presence or absence of an off-axis orientation void in any one of said cards and for indicating in which of the four possible quadrant locations on the card at said sensing station the orientation void is located, and electrical means for connecting said sensing fingers to said gate solenoids, said electrical means including a relay for controlling the supply of electrical power to each solenoid and an electronic valve for controlling each relay, and each valve having a control element connected to one of the sensing fingers in such a manner as to provide through a relatively high resistance voltage-divider a negative bias to said electronic valve each time a finger senses a void at said sensing station, whereby all of said cards in said stack which have orientation voids therein will be sorted and collected according to their orientation voids in the respective orientation bins.

5. A card-sorting machine comprising a receptacle for supporting a plurality of generally similar rectangularlyshaped cards including cards of two different general group classifications in a randomly stacked condition therein without regard as to the orientation of the individual cards of said stack but with the longitudinal axes of all the cards extending in the same general direction, the cards of one of said groups in said stack differing from the cards of the other of said groups but each card thereof having a void for indicating its classification formed therein at a predetermined location spaced outwardly from the cente thereof, and each of the cards of both groups having an orientation void formed at a different predetermined location therein spaced from both the longitudinal and transverse axes thereof, means for moving one card at a time from said receptacle to a sensing station in said machine, a plurality of bins including a first bin and a set of four bins in subsequent aligned relation thereto, said first bin being arranged to receive cards of the group having said classification void therein, and the bins of said set being arranged to respectively receive the differently oriented cards of said other group when sorted according to orientation by the machine, means for successively moving and guiding each of said cards from said station to ward said bins, a plurality of normally closed gates for closing all except the last of said bins, a solenoid for forcefully actuating each of said gates respectively to an open position, a plurality of sensing fingers at said station including a predeterminedly located finger for conductively sensing the presence or absence of a classification void for each different possible location of said classification void in a card at said sensing station, and a set of four predeterminedly located separate fingers for conductively sensing the presence or absence of an oil-axis orientation void in any one of said cards and for indicating in which of the four possible quadrant locations on the card at said sensing station the orientation void is located, and electrical means for connecting said sensing fingers to said gate solenoids, said electrical means including a relay for controlling the supply of electrical power to each solenoid and an electronic valve for controlling each relay, and each valve having a control element connected to one of the sensing fingers in such a manner as to provide a negative bias to said electronic valve for controlling its power output for controlling said relay each time a finger senses a void at said sensing station, whereby all of said cards of said one group which has classification voids therein will be collected in said first bin and all of the cards of the other group will pass therebeyond and will be sorted and collected according to their orientation voids in the respective orientation bins.

6. A card-sorting machine comprising a receptacle for supporting a plurality of generally similar rectangularlyshaped cards including cards of two different general group classifications in a randomly stacked condition therein without regard as to the orientation of the individual cards or said stack but with the longitudinal axes of all the cards extending in the same general direction,

the cards of one of said groups in said stack differing from the cards of the other of said groups but each card thereof having a void for indicating its classification formed therein at a predetermined location spaced outwardly from the center thereof, and each of the cards of both groups having an orientation void formed at a different predetermined location therein spaced from both the longitudinal and transverse axes thereof, means for moving one card at a time from said receptacle to a sensing station in said machine, a plurality of bins including a first bin and a set of four bins in subsequent aligned relation thereto, said first bin being arranged to receive cards of the group having said classification void therein, and the bins of said set being arranged to respectively receive the differently oriented cards of said other group when sorted according to orientation by the machine, means for successively moving and guiding each of said cards from said station toward said bins, a plurality of normally closed gates for closing all except the last of said bins, a solenoid for forcefully actuating each of said gates respectively to an open position, a plurality of sensing fingers at said station including a predeterminedly located finger for conductively sensing the presence or absence of a classification void for each different possible location of said classification void in a card at said sensing station, and a set of four predeterminedly located separate fingers for conductively sensing the presence or absence of an off-axis orientation void in any one of said cards and for indicating in which of the four possible quadrant locations on the card at said sensing station the orientation void is located, and electrical means for connecting said sensing fingers to said gate solenoids, said electrical means including a relay for controlling the supply of electrical power to each solenoid and an electronic valve for controlling each relay, and each valve having a control element connected to one of the sensing fingers in such a manner as to provide a negative bias to said electronic valve for controlling its power output for controlling said relay each time a finger senses a void at said sensing station, whereby all of said cards of said one group which has classification voids therein will be collected in said first bin and all of the cards of the other group will pass therebeyond and will be sorted and collected according to their orientation voids in the respective orientation bins, and an electrical control disposed in the electrical circuit between the sensing finger and the solenoid for operating the first gate for rendering said solenoid inoperative, whereby the cards of said one classification will be allowed to pass beyond said first gate and will be sorted in accordance to their orientation voids.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS ans --n 

